NOUN (2)

1. a spout that terminates in a grotesquely carved figure of a person or animal;

2. an ornament consisting of a grotesquely carved figure of a person or animal;

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Gargoyle \Gar"goyle\, n. [OE. garguilie, gargouille, cf. Sp.
   g['a]rgola, prob. fr. the same source as F. gorge throat,
   influenced by L. gargarizare to gargle. See Gorge and cf.
   Gargle, Gargarize.] (Arch.)
   A spout projecting from the roof gutter of a building, often
   carved grotesquely. [Written also gargle, gargyle, and
   gurgoyle.]
   [1913 Webster]

The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

GARGOYLE, n.  A rain-spout projecting from the eaves of mediaeval
buildings, commonly fashioned into a grotesque caricature of some
personal enemy of the architect or owner of the building.  This was
especially the case in churches and ecclesiastical structures
generally, in which the gargoyles presented a perfect rogues' gallery
of local heretics and controversialists.  Sometimes when a new dean
and chapter were installed the old gargoyles were removed and others
substituted having a closer relation to the private animosities of the
new incumbents.


Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

22 Moby Thesaurus words for "gargoyle":
   baboon, bag, beak, blemish, blot, dog, downspout, eyesore, fright,
   hag, harridan, mess, monster, monstrosity, no beauty, scarecrow,
   sight, spout, teratism, ugly duckling, waterspout, witch